I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2023 : 21 - 30

 



For the last few years We have compiled annual Best Of 's because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists. A reminder that anything reviewed on I Don't Hear A Single is highly recommended. 

Narrowing things down to this 100 has been really difficult. The countdown is posted in reverse batches of 10. For each album, a song is embedded from the album and a link is provided to the IDHAS Review where you can find further details and how to listen or buy the album

21 Portable Radio - Counting To Three      IDHAS Review

22 The Make Three - You, Me & The Make Three      IDHAS Review

23 Andy Bopp - Tower City Vol. 1      IDHAS Review

24 Kicking Bird - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack      IDHAS Review

25 Lomma - Torrey Pines      IDHAS Review

26 The Supernaturals - It Only Gets Worse      IDHAS Review

27 KC Bowman - Crushes Of Context      IDHAS Review

28 Hoagie - Other Folks      IDHAS Review

29 Mason Lowe - Morning People      IDHAS Review

30 Strange Neighbors - Party Of None      IDHAS Review

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Portable Radio - Counting To Three

 

Portable Radio's debut album is a real favourite of ours. So good that it appeared in our Best 100 albums of 2021. It revealed a mastery of West Coast Sunshine Pop that just oozed melody and harmony. You can read the review of that self titled album here.

It is also great to see Robyn Gibson involved. The Junipers were one of the first bands that we covered all those years ago at the start of IDHAS and I loved the Bob Of The Pops adventures. Fans of Portable Radio's debut (and there are many) will not be disappointed with the follow up, quite the reverse.

Counting To Three is awash with wonderful vocal harmonies and singalong choruses with some magnificent arrangements. The vibe is still largely California 60s. Plenty have try to get this period nailed, few succeed and too many albums just wash over you in an air of nothingness. This album doesn't.

I have to direct you first to the song that the album revolves around. Absentee is an absolute crackerjack of a song. More than a little Beach Boys vocally, a killer chorus and most relevant, a baroque arrangement that is outstanding and turns piano pop into something much much more. It is a song that is worth the admission alone.

Counting To Three though enters into different genres. Where There Is Love is Disco Pop with a Philly Soul orchestral arrangement and more than a Rock Your Baby instrumental feel. Not Today is more than a little Gilbert O'Sullivan I Feel Like A Dog is McLagan like Piano Pop, part UK Glam Rock, part 70s Pop Rock.

Fancy Like Champagne is all happy clappy with a great Brass arrangement. Song for Alison & Ted is top notch 80s Indie Pop that you can imagine being an American Sitcom Theme. Live Wire is graced with an unexpected synth line that is particularly 80s.

I felt it would be difficult to better that debut album. The fact that Portable Radio have bettered it is a great credit to all. Counting To Three will certainly appeal to all the yearning Jellyfish fans out there and will be high in this year's Best 100 Albums. Absolutely Excellent!

You can listen to and buy the album on Vinyl or as a download here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2021 : 41-50

It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a List person, I just think what's the point?

However, for the last few years I have compiled annual Best Of 's  because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists. There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.

There are few rules. All albums have to have been reviewed on IDHAS. Reissues and Live Albums are not included. Previously unreleased albums are included, but Best Of's are not. For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review where you can find further details and how to listen or buy the album. 

No 41 : Caddy - Detours And Dead Ends Vol. 1    IDHAS Review

No 42 : The Summer Holiday - B-Sides Volume 1       IDHAS Review

No 43 : Dolph Chaney - This Is Dolph Chaney     IDHAS Review

No 44 : This Circus Life - The Vast And Endless Sea         IDHAS Review

No 45 : Real Sickies - Love Is For Lovers    IDHAS Review

No 46 : Empty City Squares - The Disappearing Architect      IDHAS Review





No 47 : The Mono LPs - Shuffle / Play    IDHAS Review

No 48 :  Cheap Trick - In Another World    IDHAS Review

 

No 49 : the black watch - Here & There   IDHAS Review

   

No 50 :Portable Radio - Portable Radio        IDHAS Review

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Extended Play Part 1

 Lost Ships - Nostalgia

Portsmouth's Lost Ships release their third EP for the excellent Subjangle label. Nostalgia is cleverly written classic Brit Pop. This EP seems less jangly than the previous two and is very reminiscent of The Bluetones, a real compliment.

Weight Of The World is the obvious lead track, a catchy chipper Supernaturals like affair. Shirley From Shirley is a slower storytelling song that quietly builds while Inside My Head is very Glasgow with a riff that is so The Coral. 

Come To Me borders on Americana, almost Campfire like until the short closing cinematic instrumental. A cracking listen. I can't wait for a full length Lost Ships album. You can listen to and buy the EP here.

The Stick Arounds - Waiting For The Click

Waiting For The Clouds is a 4 Track RP that acts as a sampler of how varied, the Michigan five piece are. Redtail Hawks is all fuzzed up, US New Wave Power Pop that comes across as a popped up The Successful Failures. It is a very fine thing indeed.

In a completely opposite direction, Easy To Take has a real Country Rock Doolin' Dalton vibe. Close To Being Cool edges toward a Pete Wylie big sound and Ode To Kid Marine is built on a Guided By Voices sort of riff and aches beautifully and more than a little noisily.

Hearing four songs that are very different act as a great showcase, but may confuse new listeners who may want to dig into the band's back catalogue to learn what a great outfit this lot are. You can listen to and buy the EP here.

Tripper and the Wild Things - Boomerang Kids

Predictions of the next big thing usually end in tears, but Hamilton Ontario's Tripper And The Wild Things have a certain something that may just break down the barriers. They master a brand of slacker Indie Rock that appeals to their generation in a way that may just take the previous one along for the ride. 

The band can be a little noisy and shouty the odd time, but this is built around big hooks and memorable choruses. Plus a song like Juno shows that they have more than one gear and work equally well on slowed down songs. 

There's no doubt though that they are at their best when the pace ramps up and a song like Boomerang Kids encapsulates what the band are about. A built up verse, a great chorus and a killer riff. I can't wait to hear more. You can listen to and buy the EP here.

Portable Radio - Should've Bounced

Portable Radio draw attention to their magnificent self titled album, reviewed here. Should've Bounced, the lead track is from the album and underlines the band's vocal strength of harmony in a gentle catch all listen.

The two B Sides are more than worthwhile inclusions. Happy Coincidence is a  little more basic than what has gone before, more keyboard led 80's twee than previous songs, but still underpinned by a wonderful vocal arrangement. 

Never Tell A Soul is the original mix of Kick Me Out and is part Piano Bar schmooze, part Explorers Club. Portable Radio's strength is the vocal interplay and this EP is a great addition for buyers of the album, It is an album that everyone should own. You can listen to and buy the EP here.

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Portable Radio - Portable Radio

 

I'm more than used to writing about American bands who sound so British. So how about some splendid West Coast California Pop from a Manchester Trio. Portable Radio's debut album is Sunshine Pop at its very very best. Now we can wait for the jokes about it always raining in Manchester. 

When the Jellyfish massive switch on to this album (and they will), you'll get loads of comparisons to The Explorers Club to The Beach Boys and you can easily hear them. But the contents here are far more keyboard led and certainly far more jaunty. 

That jauntiness is more likely the UK influence and it certainly adds to the quality of the songs. The layered vocal harmonies will be compared to Brian Wilson, but there is just as much in common with the likes of early Todd Rundgren and even the great Glasgow Pop of the mid Eighties onwards. There's certainly hints of Ben Folds Piano Pop and even Dodgy.

However all these "sounds like" comparisons should not take away from how good Portable Radio are and how unique this blend of upbeat pop is. Music should bring a smile to your face and too often it doesn't. We seem to be under a blizzard of songs about lockdown misery and this album is the antidote. It is also a reminder that electricity is still available during this period.

Normally I'd mention a few songs to guide you. But this is an album to listen to all the way through. Considering the current times we are enduring, this debut album should be prescribed to everyone. It may also be that the best song is left until the last, just listen to those harmonies. What a splendid offering this is. 

You can listen to and buy the album here. You really should. 

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